Paths
by AlisonLydon
Summary: Setting: 1995: Fourth grade Drake Parker and Josh Nichols meet each other up until 1999 when they enter the ninth grade. Please read and review
1. The First Meeting Part One

**Paths**

**A Drake & Josh fan-fic**

**A short story by Alison Lydon**

**Lead characters:**

**Drake Parker & Josh Nichols**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. No copyright infringement is**

**intended.**

**Chapter 1**

**The First Meeting**

**Part One**

**Carver Elementary School**

**San Diego, California**

**Fourth grade-1995**

Josh Nichols hid in the bathroom during lunch as Todd Porter and Tyler Donaldson said

they were going to kick his chubby ass out of the solar system because Josh wouldn't

help them cheat in math class today. He hid his sandwich in one of his zippered hooded

sweatshirt pockets. His father, Walter Nichols, who did the sports and weather

broadcasts on KLSD made it for him as his Grammy who was staying over was spoiling

him with her homemade blueberry pancakes and the pure maple syrup she got on her

trip when she went on her trip to Vermont with one of her 'gentleman friends'. He sat on

the floor and ate his sandwich trying not to make noise. Boys rarely used the lavatories

unlike the girls who used them as gossip stops for the popular cliques. So he knew as

long as no one saw him enter the restroom he'd be fine. He took his apple juice box out

of the other side zippered pocket. Tomorrow maybe he'd brave the cafeteria world.

Grammy got him a magic kit and suggested that maybe he do some tricks for the other

kids so they'd be his friend. His Grammy couldn't imagine anyone ever hating 'her

sweet Joshie'. There was one boy he wouldn't mind being friends with. He was really

popular with both the boys and the girls. His name was Drake Parker. If he could be

friends with Drake then maybe the other kids would like him too.

It was worth a shot.

Even though Drake was popular he wasn't one of those kids in school who could be

defined by having a sole best friend by his side. There were a small group of kids that

he could have claimed to be a part of but it was only because they were all on the same

bus stop and lived in close proximity to each other.

"Hi Drake, will you come to my birthday party?" Sylvia Anderson handed him a vanilla

scented envelope.

Even before puberty and the sexual feelings that went with it, Drake always had a

natural affinity for girls. Except for his toddler sister Megan she was always throwing

things at him and not once did his parents Jeffrey or Audrey Parker catch her in the act.

Boys were okay, but girls gave you invites to parties. The boys only did so when their

mom's forced them and their envelopes were not vanilla scented. Girls were more

interesting to him. They smiled, giggled, and wished you well. All he and his guy friends

did were ride bikes and get dirty like some pseudo episode of The Wonder Years they

were just suburban kids who rode their bikes and got dirty and didn't ponder the

meaning of life.

"I'm sure my Mom will let me."

As this was going on Todd Porter and Tyler Donaldson had Josh cornered by the water

fountain down the hall.

"Where were you at lunch today, Nichols?" Porter asked him

"I-I was—I wa—s"

"Shut up!" Donaldson pushed him

"Behind the monkey bars after school!" Porter said

"What's going on here boys?" asked the stern teacher who was "old" like forty-five and

had her hair in a tight bun.

"Nothing, Miss Gallagher." Josh replied hoping that they'd stop thinking about this fight

once and for all.

"Good. Now I suggest you all get to class."

Porter and Donaldson gave Josh dirty looks and punched their fists into their palms to

indicate they didn't forget the fight after school.

Josh knew there was only thing he could do after the last class of the day and that was

to run like the wind.

Audrey Parker who just started working part time after Megan started at the Alcott Day

Care Center was trying to hold onto the remains of Drake's childhood.

She poured Drake a glass of milk and gave him a plate of double chocolate chip

cookies.

"Thanks, Mom."

"You're welcome, sweetie. How was school today?"

"Good," he took Sylvia Anderson's envelope out of his faded red book bag, "Can I go to

Sylvia Anderson's birthday party next Saturday?"

"I don't see why not."

"Cool." Drake replied as he dunked his cookie in his glass of milk.

It was good to be Drake Parker.

Josh never ran so fast. As soon as the ending bell rang he darted out of his American

history class, which thankfully Porter and Donaldson were not in and just kept running.

He lived only three blocks away and his Grammy was always home to greet him while

his Dad worked until eight o'clock at night and his Mother until six at Rutherford's

Department store. They fought sometimes.

"Joshie, why are you out of breath?" Grammy said as she heard Josh enter the modest

sized apartment.

"I—I—" He could never find the words when his back was up against the wall.

"Are you getting picked on?"

"Uh—it's not a big deal."

She hugged her grandson tight. "Come into the kitchen. I made beef stew for supper

tonight. I'll make you a bowl with some of your favorite crescent rolls."

"They're POPPIN' fresh!"

"That's right, Joshie, you keep your sense of humor and me and your father will help you

with your bully problem."

"Don't go to Principal Harris!" Josh replied all panicked, "The last time I got gum thrown

in my hair! In my hair!"

"Everything will be fine, dear. You just sit down and eat."

Josh was hungry but he was still terrified of facing the two bullies tomorrow. But he still

wanted to make friends with Drake in the cafeteria at lunchtime. Maybe Drake would

have the answer? He was a popular kid and they knew everything.

It was terrible to be Josh Nichols.

_Author's Note: To be continued…_


	2. The First Meeting Part Two

**Chapter 2**

**The First Meeting**

**Part Two**

**Next day-lunch**

Josh ate his chunky peanut butter and strawberry jam sandwich on Wonderbread in

the cafeteria with the other kids at the "loser table". Schnitman actually ate one his

boogers to the delight of the youth football club who dared him to do it some more. At

least he wasn't being singled out today. Porter and Donaldson seemed to

have forgotten all about him when they were called into Principal Harris' office this

morning for hiding Samuel Madigan's wheelchair. He sucked the last bit from his

apple juice box being too afraid to go over to the cool kids table and speak to Drake

Parker and the rest of his popular friends.

It was a different world over on that site of the cafeteria. They were the normal kids who

didn't get picked on. Not that they sometimes couldn't get into fights or picked on

themselves, but it was always for a deeper reason like when David Hogan the

elementary class President got into a fight last year when some kid called his mother

'a whore' because she kissed the mailman. It was never because they wore the wrong

clothes, played geeky instruments, were handicapped, shy, or awkward.

"Can I have your chips, Josh?" Asked Freddy Woodward who had the honor of sitting

at this table because he wore old-fashioned wing-tip shoes and played the accordion

on purpose.

"Sure."

Josh put the lid back on his Grammy's Tupperware container. He didn't feel like eating

his black olives.

There were twenty-three minutes left on their lunch period and he was too afraid to

make new friends.

Especially with those that sat at the popular tables. He had nothing to offer any of those

other kids. Walter gave him a bunch of meteorological bumper stickers from KLSD but

what kids apart from Greg Woods the weather geek would appreciate those? They

were all certainly laughing and having a good time over there. He watched in envy as

some girls walked by and said "hello" to Drake giggling as they walked away.

_It must be good to be that kid._

The girls never noticed him unless they were book nerds like he was but it was never in

the hand holding, notepassing way. He didn't get an invite to Sylvia Anderson's

birthday party.

Josh got up to throw away his paper lunch bag. Dad said he'd get him a reuseable

one the next time they went shopping. There was something inside of Josh that knew

he had to try. Everyone in his family thought he was special, but your relatives _have_ to

say that. He didn't want to sit at the ''loser table'' forever. Josh wanted to have real

friends.

He didn't just want to play Bingo with his Grammy. Maybe, this was a sign. Porter and

Donaldson were not going to be a problem for awhile although Josh wished they would

have beaten the crap out of him instead of picking on Sam because he was

handicapped. He got a pass. Heck, even if Drake Parker didn't like him it's not like he

was going to have run all the way home today after school because he might want to

make an example out of Josh for having the nerve to come over to the popular table.

"Go over there, Josh." Freddy advised. He had the feeling once or twice himself.

Anyone who could be on the better side of the cafeteria overnight would be the

equivelant of winning the lottery. The grass was always greener on the other side.

"How do you know, Freddy?" Josh turned to face him so he wasn't just standing by the

trashcan looking like an idiot.

"Because I thought of doing it myself."

"Okay. I will do it! Wish me luck." Josh grabbed his container of black olives as he

needed something to hold to keep his hands steady.

"Good luck." Freddy whispered crossing his fingers.

If one kid could make a clique jump like this it would advance nerd/popular relations to

statistics unheard of before.

Drake was too busy reading a hastily written letter torn from a tablet and from a secret

admirer to notice Josh walking towards his table.

Was the note from Mary? Nah, she only used pencils except when their teachers made

her use a blue pen. Paula? Who had one green eye and one blue eye and always

winked at him, laughed, and then ran away to join her friends to gush about him in

the girl's room.

"Hey there! Do you want to see a—MAGIC TRICK?"

"What?" Drake slightly giggled that was certainly not a question you hear everyday.

What was his name? Jeremy?

"And you want to perform one for us, Josh?" asked Bobby Geller.

_Oh, Josh._

"I the amazing Josh-o will put these olives up my nose!"

"Why?" asked Drake it certainly wasn't a cool thing to be doing especially in front of

everyone in the cafeteria.

"Because it's fun!"

But the fun quickly turned to a self-inflicted panic when Josh couldn't get the olives out.

"H—h-elp M-m-e! I—c-c-an't g—get t-the oli-ves o—ut of m-m-y n-nose!"

Everyone was laughing except for those at the "loser table". Josh Nichols was so close

only to be sent rubber banded back there.

The bell rang as Miss Gallagher in her scorned face escorted Josh to the nurse who

was worried about making sure his Grammy got her Tupperware container back.

"What a loser." Bobby said still sitting down, only the geeks got up first.

Drake almost felt sorry for Jer—Josh but he could never admit that to any of his

friends.

"Yeah, what a loser." Drake replied as he stood up not because he cared about

attending class but because he wanted to find out who sent him his secret admirer

note. Besides Geller was under the misconception that he ruled that table. Drake

really wanted to tell him that he was the head of their group, but his Dad warned him

about starting fights so all he could do was walk away and be glad that at least he

wasn't the goob who had olives stuck up his nose.

**Josh's Diary Entry:**

**March 8, 1995**

_I talked to Drake Parker at lunch today! _


	3. Same Page

**Chapter 3**

**Same Page**

**27 days later—**

**April 4, 1995—midnight**

Jeffrey Parker was thirty-five years old with sandy brown hair and deep set chestnut

colored eyes. He was in the middle of restoring his old cherry red bicycle with the

banana seat and long handlebars. When they were visiting Grandma Parker in Encino a

few months ago his son noticed the worn bike with it's front tire missing and loose seat

and thought it was cool because no one else would have one like it. For his Easter

present Jeffrey and Audrey decided it'd make a nice surprise for him especially since

he didn't believe in the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus anymore.

"Jeff, I made you a cup of tea."

Audrey kissed him on the cheek and placed the white china cup with the soft pink

handle on a coaster on the end table.

"Thanks, dear. How is the bike coming along?"

"It looks good. But you know you shouldn't over do it."

"We've been over this."

"I don't know how you can be so calm."

Jeff tightened the seat with a screwdriver before standing up to join his wife on the sky

blue colored sofa.

"Because we made an agreement. I don't want our household shaken up and besides

I'm an eternal optimist. It's 1995 miracles happen everyday. I don't want the kids to be

upset—and I know you don't want that either."

Jeff cradled his wife of ten years in his arms.

"You jerk," Audrey broke in his arms obviously not meaning the name she just called

her husband, "How can you be so optimistic after what the doctor's told us?"

"I see the glass as half-full. You always saw it as half empty. Now don't start crying.

We don't want to wake the kids. I want them to be happy. I want to see them grow up

for as long as I have a heartbeat to do so. I'm restoring my old bike for my number one

son and trying to find that collectible Shirley Temple doll for my number one daughter. I

want to hear their laughter. I don't want to see their tears. Megan's too young to

understand, but she's got intelligent tendencies. Drake will know something is wrong if

we act even the slightest bit different. The best gift that we can give our children,

Audrey, is a family that loves each other. Am I really a jerk for wanting that?"

"No, of course not. But I wish you wouldn't work so hard. It's not good for you. I'll put the

bike in the pantry."

They softly kissed each other on the lips.

"Okay. Audrey, you know that I love you."

"I love you too, Jeff."

That's when Drake Parker's world was instantly shattered. He quickly stood up and put

his back against the cold wall and hid on the kitchen stairwell and watched his mother

go into the pantry with his bicycle. If it was yesterday and not today he'd have been the

happiest kid finding out his Easter present in advance, but right now he didn't give a

shit.

Drake didn't think when he left his San Diego Padres glass on one of the steps as he

slowly walked up stairs and into his room.

_Dad's sick?_

Josh figured he was deserving to sit at the "loser table" because not only could he not

make any new real friends, he actually used an old fashioned IBM Selectric typewriter

that belonged to his father and would type out his school reports even if he wasn't

required to. Even with the burning of the midnight oil at nine years old typing a report on

Abraham Lincoln that wasn't due for another three weeks and the radio set to an easy

listening station, he could still hear his parents arguing. And this time it worse. He

heard glass breaking. That had to be his mother.

Josh wanted a hot fudge sundae with extra chocolate syrup.

Grammy had gone on anotherone of her worldly adventures so there was no one here

to run to when Walter and Kimberly Nichols started fighting.

"stop!" he muttered under his breath from the safety of his closed door in his room.

He hated this. Josh had watched enough Oprah after school to know what happens to

the children of divorce. Kimberly would probably get custody of her only child and who

said that would be for the best? Josh was closer to his father. His mother would never

agree to joint custody and that was something that Josh didn't want either. In a perfect

world he would live with his Dad and Grammy.

In a very perfect world—he would have what he always wanted. Josh would have a

sibling—a brother.

_Josh Nichols always wanted a brother._

Drake clutched at his pillow and allowed himself to cry. No one else was here so it was

all right. He heard his father's footsteps and put the covers over his head and

pretended to be asleep.

Jeffrey with only the glow of the hall nightlight made his way through the maze in his

son's room—the usual boys mess of clothes, comic books, and games all over the

floor.

"Drake, are you sleeping?"

"Hmm, hmm." He mumbled making sure the evidence was wiped clean from his face.

Drake's father pulled the covers off his face, "Goodnight, son. I love you." Jeffrey

kissed him on the cheek.

_I love you too, Daddy. _

_Please don't go._

"o-kay."

His heart was breaking. Maybe this was just a dream and he'd be waking up from it at

any minute?

No. Stuff like that only happens in the movies.

"Lenny in the office is going to give me two tickets for the Padres home opener. They

are playing the Houston Astros on the twenty-sixth. Do you want to go?"

Jeffrey was going to tell Drake at breakfast, but he couldn't wait a moment longer.

"s-sure."

"'Night, Drake."

"n-night d-ad."

Jeff gave him an extra kiss, which would have bothered Drake ("I'm not a baby

anymore!") if it were before what he had learned. Now he wanted to be "babied" and

welcomed the additional kiss and a gentle hair tousle.

Drake and Josh the opposite ends of the spectrum who were really more alike then

they were different, the extrovert, the introvert, the popular happy-go-lucky boy, the

geek who had to eat at the "loser table", the one who liked pretty girls, the one who

liked magic were both on the same page in the book of life when the both of them

cried themselves to sleep that night.


	4. Eggs & Pancakes

**Chapter 4**

**Eggs & Pancakes**

**April 8, 1995—early morning**

It was a Parker father-son tradition that went on for as long as Drake could remember.

Their Saturday morning breakfast at the International House of Pancakes. Of course this

breakfast was different. Drake tried not to be a selfish kid and realized that this had to

be difficult for his father too. The father that wanted to act like "everything was all right",

that they could go out for Saturday breakfasts and baseball games as if all was well with

the world. Drake had been studying his father and he never would have known that

anything was wrong with him. Jeffrey Parker looked the same, talked like he always did,

wore the same combination of Nautica and Gap clothing. He didn't look like a man who

was sick. A man that had weeks, months, or years left? You'd never know it by looking

at him that his number in the death lottery was ready to be called up. His eyes sparkled

in that infamous Devil may care Parker way and his cheeks had a rosy glow. Drake

could have questioned all of this, he could have demanded answers, but his father's

quietness was not out of a bad place. Jeffrey was trying to protect his family by shielding

his children (and probably his wife if he could've gotten away with it) from the pain. The

worst news of all that he was leaving them and not because he wanted to, but because

sometimes life just happens and you have to deal with these things as they arise. Drake

admired his father for that. He couldn't be angry with him.

"I broke your egg!" Jeffrey smiled as he broke Drake's sunny side up egg yolk with a

corner torn off from his toasted white bread.

Drake could break down crying or he could enjoy the time spent with his father for what

it was.

For what it would become, a memory of their time together when they used to go to

IHOP every Saturday morning for eggs and pancakes.

"I broke yours too!" Drake smiled back as he returned the gesture.

"After breakfast how about we go to Foot Locker to get you the sneakers you've been

begging me for?"

They didn't seem so important now but Drake didn't want to hurt his father's feelings, it

was the same reason for their upcoming baseball game trip, Jeffrey didn't know how

much time he had left on Earth and wanted to cram every moment in. Drake who used

to like it when either of his parents bought him things hated the thought of his father

being gone and all that would be left would be things like sneakers that he would only

outgrow.

"I don't know. Maybe we can see a movie?"

"Okay, if that's what you want to do. That new movie theater across town just opened

yesterday."

"The Premiere."

"Yeah, that's it. Do you want to see Bad Boys?"

"Mom says it's too violent."

Jeffrey put his index finger to his lips. "Ssh. Your mother doesn't have to know son."

The truth was Drake didn't want the sneakers and he really didn't want to go to the

movies with his father. He'd have been content just hanging around the house with him

and watch baseball on TV.

But how many real opportunities could they have outside in public before Jeffrey was

too sick to be allowed to even be outside? Drake couldn't take that away from his dad.

"Cool."

Jeffrey smiled as he put his fork into Drake's pancakes.

"Look, it's a flying whooperwill."

That made Drake laugh a little.

"Nice try, Dad, but those are _my_ pancakes."

"You're catching on quick. I shouldn't try to take food away from a growing boy."

"But yet you _always_ try." It amazed Drake on how well he was able to act like nothing

was wrong. Maybe, his father was right. They lived in a modern age and Scientists were

always on the verge of finding the latest medical breakthrough.

"Yeah I do. Did you ever find out who your secret admirer is?" Jeffrey stirred his coffee

with the small chocolate brown colored stirring straw.

"No. I thought it was Shelby Lawrence until I saw her talking to Bobby Geller."

"There'll be many girls in your future."

"I know." Drake replied in such a way that he didn't mean that in a self-important way, he

just meant that rather of matter-of-factly. He hoped his father knew that.

"Someday, we'll have _thee talk,_" Jeffrey did the quoting gestures, "about girls."

Drake swirled his last piece of pancake in the now cold maple syrup. "Dad, I already

know about sex." He whispered.

"Do you Drake?"

"Yeah. When I was at Bobby's birthday party his older brother Matt was there and when

all the adults went away he told us _everything_."

"I'd bet your last piece of bacon that he did not tell you everything."

"You weren't there, Dad. He had _magazines._"

Jeffrey laughed, "But did Matt tell you and every other boy there about love?"

Drake started to blush aware of his surroundings.

"Uh—"

Jeffrey put up his arm to flag their table server to the table.

Forget the movie there was something more important that Jeffrey Parker needed to

take care of and that was to give his nine year old son who thought he knew "everything"

about sex the proper talk about the birds and the bees. Someday was now.

"Check please." Jeffrey finished his coffee.

Jeffrey wished upon the morning sun that he could live long enough to see if the words

he would be telling his son in the car on the way home would later on be values that

Drake would actually put into practice.

"Thanks for the breakfast, Dad." Normally it went unsaid but today Drake felt that he

needed to let his father know that.

"You're welcome son. Instead of going to the movies I think we just better drive around

and talk for a while. I hope that's okay?"

"Yeah."

Drake tried to push the realities out of his mind. His Father didn't look or show any signs

of being sick. So until there was something to worry about he was going to do the

Parker thing and that was to keep on smiling.

At least on the outside.


	5. The Empty Box

**Chapter 5**

**The Empty Box**

**May 6, 1995—early evening**

Josh hated the weekends. It always seemed to drive the point home that he didn't have

any real friends. Yes, he could talk to Freddy Woodward and the like from the "loser

table" and it's not that they were all bad kids. But there was no one to hang out with.

There was no one his age that would want to go to the Magic Bee with him. So he did

what he did every weekend afternoon that he was alone. It was something so shameful

in the young boy's eyes that he never told his parents or his Grammy. If all of his

classmates knew about this, the girls would laugh in his face and the boys including

those at the "loser table" would beat him up. On his seventh birthday when he cleaned

his room very good not only was he rewarded with a double chocolate fudge cake but

also with a few greenbacks he went to the indoor flea market with Grammy and

purchased two things. One a kiddie introduction to magic kit and two something he

didn't want anyone to know about. Josh was afraid his father would think there was

something wrong with him. He thought he was quite clever hiding what he didn't want

anyone else to see in his Batman knapsack. From then on he always purchased his

lifelines via catalogue. He would pay by money order that he'd have Walter get him at

the local Zippy Mart and that was the end of that. Kimberly didn't care and he always

told Walter it was some magic accessories, which he always bought something

whenever Grammy would give him more money for being a "good kid" and that wasn't

even counting the holidays and his birthday.

He thought the months would have gone different, but he screwed that up when he went

over to the popular table and put the olives up his nose. There were not anymore

exuberant or otherwise diary entries about any of those kids. Josh lost what little bit of

courage he had and couldn't even wave 'hi' to Drake Parker in the halls. He always

had a flock of girls around him as if he was the Fonz and they were starring in an

elementary school production of Happy Days.

It was difficult for Josh to make friends and there were times when he didn't think

himself as worthy of having any. He laid on his stomach, his face buried in his pillow.

He wasn't crying today. He was only sulking. Josh wished he could be an adult. At

least he could be out in the world making money and having a purpose in the world.

Josh was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't hear the knock on the door.

"Josh," Walter walked in his son's very neat and organized room, "Are you okay, son?"

"Yeah, Dad."

"Would you like to go out tonight? Maybe we could go bowling?"

"No, thanks."

Walter saw the empty box that Josh tried to hide in his yellow wastebasket.

"Josh, did you eat all of these cupcakes today?"

A package of Devil Dog's cupcakes and all of their wrappers were crammed behind

some of Grammy's old JcPenney and Sears catalogues.

Josh still didn't face his father. He couldn't lie to the man the truth was already out in

the open.

"Yeah."

Walter Nichols sat next to his only child. "You weren't eating out of hunger, you were

emotionally eating."

"I know. I watch Oprah."

"Josh, I love you, you're a great kid, with a great personality. I know your mother and I

argue sometimes…"

"No, you two argue everyday."

"That might be true—but you don't need to do this to yourself. I didn't have a great self-

esteem growing up either and I don't want you to go through what I did."

"I'm okay, Dad, really, I have my magic and video games."

And that _other _thing that he couldn't tell another living soul about, even his father. Josh

just couldn't risk the humiliation.

"Those are good things, but what is even better is making new friends. What

happened to….."

Josh had the habit of cutting sentences off. He just couldn't bear to hear the rest.

"They have better things to do than hang around with me. Actually, it was only one kid

really."

"What's his name?"

"I'd rather not say, Dad. He's too popular and cool to be seen with a buffoon like me."

"Josh, you are not a buffoon and you won't know until you really try."

"I CAN'T! I made a fool of myself in front of him. It feels like it happened yesterday,

which is how it is with us kids. He'd never like me in a million years."

"I'm sure he's a great kid just like you are. Maybe you can invite him over…"

"NO! He doesn't live in an apartment. He lives in a nice HOUSE! A HOUSE!"

"If he's as great as you say he is, I don't think he'd care that you live in an apartment."

"Dad," Josh sighed, "I'm tired. I'd like to take a nap. We'll still watch TV together right?"

It was always one of Josh's favorite things to do with his father, especially when his

mother was out for an "all girlfriend night".

"Of course. But I think we'll skip the pizza and have something more healthy. I don't

want you to eat out of anything other than actual hunger."

"Yeah." Josh wished he threw his garbage away better, he'd have saved himself this

lecture and he'd get to have pizza.

Walter kissed him on the cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too, Dad."

There was no way that a popular boy like Drake would ever, ever be friends with a

nerd like Josh.

There was no way in Hell that their paths would ever cross.


	6. Daddy's Little Girl

**Chapter 6 **

**Daddy's Little Girl**

**August 19, 1995—2:00AM**

Everyone thought she was brilliant but yet they still treated her like a _child_. Her

chronological age was not her mind's age. She couldn't remember a time when she

didn't think a few years ahead of her peers. Normally the little dark haired girl with the

big round eyes and defined lips looking like an old-fashioned corner shop window

displayed porcelain doll would oblige. Now she didn't want to play the game. The game

that grown-ups played when they did not want to tell you the truth because you are _just a _

_child _and you couldn't possibly understand the realities of what was going on in your

very own universe. Tonight though she felt like she was on the brunt of a well-meaning

lie. She used to like only tormenting her brother, but now she wanted to hurt everyone.

Yet, she was hollow on the inside where the real person used to be. She sat on the floor

in the dark room in the second biggest bedroom in the house and bounced a miniature

pink ball that came from one of the vending machines at the Zippy Mart on the

hardwood floor. She wanted no one. She wanted everyone. She wanted darkness. She

wanted light. She wanted disruption. She wanted peace. She wanted to scream at the

top of her lungs. She wanted to be rescued.

Drake who was half-asleep sat up and rubbed his eyes to see what this noise was in

the room by grabbing his flashlight that somehow wound up under his pillow.

"M-Megan? Why are you in here?"

Megan let the ball bounce until it stopped and rolled under the dresser which was the

final resting place for her miniature yellow bubble wand, two silver jacks, and pieces of

popcorn.

His little sister said nothing, which normally would have been music to his ears, but he

knew that silence. Drake was going to do the right thing and get out of bed and see

what the matter was but he watched as she walked in an eerie silence towards his bed

and put her cold bare feet on the ladder. She wanted to sleep with her older brother

because he was at that moment the safest alterative in this house. Drake wouldn't

smother her; he'd let her breathe. Tomorrow morning he'd be her 'stupid, ugly older

brother', but at this moment in time he was her life support.

Drake adjusted the beige colored blanket so she would stop her shivering and be

warm.

"Goodnight, Megan." That was all he could bring himself to say as he kissed the top of

her head.

"Daddy's dying." Megan replied in a cold monotone voice five minutes later.

"He's not."

"Lying will not make me feel better."

Why did everyone feel the need to protect her so?

"Sorry. Maybe he'll be all right."

"And you are basing this on?" She sounded like a thirty year old. Drake thought she

might have had the highest IQ score in this house, probably the whole block. He didn't

know what words to say to his sister to make it right.

"Miracles happen everyday."

If his father believed those words he told his wife then Drake had no trouble borrowing

them when talking to his sister.

"Do you _really _believe that or are you just expecting me to?"

"I want to believe it."

Father and son were going to be at IHOP for their usual eggs and pancakes. Maybe,

Jeffrey Parker was getting better. There was always a story in the newspaper or on TV

about an average family being granted an unexplained "miracle". Why not spare the life

of Jeffrey Parker and take away some bank robber or a serial killer instead?

"That doesn't make it so, Drake." She cupped her hand over her mouth to stop herself

from yawning.

"Maybe if we believe, Dad will be okay."

"Daddy's dying." She accepted the tears and let them fall out of her eyes.

Drake coughed to prevent himself from crying as he held his sister gently wiping the

tears from her eyes. He never saw Megan like this before. She hardly cried when she

was a baby. Except for when she wanted to be fed or an immediate diaper change.

"I know. But we have to be strong for him. You are smarter than me so I know you

understand. We can't cry in front of him or mom and act like we know something."

"I know this, you boob!"

"I'm sorry again."

"Drake, it's all right. Don't worry. You mean well."

"Thanks. Goodnight, Megan."

"Goodnight."

**8:07 AM**

Jeffrey couldn't resist taking this picture with his brand new Kodak camera with the

Avantix drop in film cartridge technology.

How _cute_ was this?

"Jeff," Audrey walked in carrying a cup of coffee as she saw Drake and Megan sleeping

soundly looking beautiful with their content faces.

"How cute is this?" Jeffrey put the camera in his light blue terrycloth robe pocket and put

his arm around his wife.

"I brought your coffee."

"Thanks, hon. I don't want to wake them up. _This is how I want to remember them—_

_sleeping peacefully without a care in the world_."


End file.
